Still image capturing devices are used to visually memorialize scenes, events, or items. Still image capturing devices, such as cameras, include a lens, a shutter, and either a photosensitive film or an electronic image sensor. In addition, most modern cameras include a processor and/or other control electronics that function to control shutter speed, aperture, flash, focus, etc.
It has become increasingly common in image capturing devices to also capture a small audio sequence associated with an image. By capturing audio along with an image, an image capturing device may preserve voices, music, laughter, etc. to enhance the enjoyment of a captured image. This may be very desirable to the user of the image capturing device. In addition, an audio recording may be easily and efficiently used to record data about the captured image, such as date, occasion, people in the image, etc.
In the prior art, an image capturing device typically included audio apparatus that is triggered upon an image capture, i.e., upon a press of a shutter button or upon some other manual input by the user. Therefore, in order to capture audio according to the prior art, the user must press a button and generally gets a fixed audio recording captured over a fixed time period. Often, a separate button is provided to perform audio recording. Recording continues as long as the button is pressed (subject to a time limit), but this can only be done after the image is captured.
The audio capture according to the prior art has several drawbacks. It is either linked to an image capture or is dependent on foresight and preparation by the user. In the prior art approach the user must enable the audio capture at a desired time. This is unfortunate, as a sound may trigger a desire to capture an image (and the associated audio). For example, a child's laugh may trigger a desire to capture both an image and the laugh. This is not possible in the prior art.
Therefore, there remains a need in the art for improvements in image capturing devices with audio capture capability.